South Korea have just pride on the line in World Cup battle with Belgium

Son Heung-min is the main attacking threat for the Taeguk Warriors against Belgium on Thursday (Picture: AP)

This is it for Korea. It’s all or nothing. And even if it is ‘all’, it might still result in nothing.

Korea need nothing less than a miracle to make it through to the round of 16 – a win by two goals or more against Belgium, and then hope Russia defeat Algeria…but only by a single goal. That would see them clinch second on goals scored ahead of Russia.

The odds are stacked against them, but if for nothing else than restoring lost pride, Korea need to finish this campaign on a winning note. To do so there are three key areas they need to address

Defence

After a promising first up display against Russia, the central pairing of Hong Jeong-ho and Kim Young-gwon turned in a horror show against Algeria. For a pairing that have played together since their teens there was a striking lack of coordination in their defending that Algeria exploited to full effect.

Defending is a team responsibility and the cover, or lack thereof, provided by Han Kook-young and Swansea’s Ki Sung-yueng in central midfield only served to expose the defence even more.

Attack

While it showed signs in the second half of clicking, Korea’s attack in this tournament has lacked a real bite – not an accusation you could make of Luis Suarez!

Knowing they need a big win over Belgium, Korea need to attack from the start and play a high tempo game.

Ex-Arsenal striker Park Chu-young has been virtually non-existent and has offered nothing. It’s no coincidence Korea have looked their best, attacking wise, once he has been substituted. If Korea is to beat Belgium then Park needs to be dropped to the bench. That could mean a start for Lee Keun-ho, who has provided a spark off the bench, or perhaps even the 196cm Kim Shin-wook, the K League Classic’s leading scorer last season.

His height caused problems for Algeria when he came off the bench, but his presence has a tendency to make Korea one-dimensional, simply pumping long balls into the tall striker and hoping to feed off the scraps. Against defenders such as Vincent Kompany and Daniel Van Buyten that’s probably not the best option

Tempo

When they’ve attacked with purpose and speed this World Cup Korea have threatened. Sadly we haven’t seen it enough. Knowing they need a big win over Belgium, Korea need to attack from the start and play a high tempo game, pressuring the Belgian defence looking for the cheap turnover in their half.

They cannot afford to slow it down, and look to maintain possession for possessions sake, because as we’ve seen so far this tournament when they do that they struggle to create genuine goal scoring chances.

Son Heung-min is the key man. With his pace and dribbling ability, they need to get him on the ball running at the defence, something he relishes. When he does that he worries defences, as we saw in the second half against Algeria and that’s when chances are created.

It’s a tall order for the Taeguk Warriors, but if they can take the three points off Belgium they can walk away with some pride restored, and just maybe a spot in the last 16.